baby-sitter
B1Informal, Everyday
Definition
Meaning
A person employed to look after a child or children while the parents are away, typically for a short period.
Can refer to any temporary caretaker or guardian for a child, and metaphorically to someone or something that ensures stability or prevents problems during an absence.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically implies temporary, paid, evening/night-time care. Not a full-time nanny or au pair, though the boundaries can blur in casual usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spacing and hyphenation. UK prefers 'babysitter' or 'baby-sitter'. US strongly prefers 'babysitter' (one word). The job title 'childminder' is more common in UK for more regular, daytime care, but is a distinct role.
Connotations
Very similar in both dialects. Slightly more associated with teenagers/students in the US cultural stereotype.
Frequency
Equally common and central in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
We need a babysitter FOR the children.She babysits FOR the neighbours.He works AS a babysitter.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “'Mummy/daddy's little helper' (informal, not a direct synonym)”
- “'Built-in babysitter' (referring to an older sibling)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in family-friendly workplace policies (e.g., 'babysitter reimbursement').
Academic
Rare, except in sociological or family studies contexts.
Everyday
Very common and central. The primary context.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Can you babysit for us on Friday?
- She regularly babysits the twins down the road.
American English
- I need someone to babysit my kids tonight.
- He's been babysitting since he was 14.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used as a standalone adverb) They worked babysittingly through the evening. (Highly unnatural/forced)
American English
- (Rarely used as a standalone adverb) He waited babysittingly for the parents. (Highly unnatural/forced)
adjective
British English
- She charges a reasonable babysitting rate.
- We exchanged babysitting duties with our neighbours.
American English
- He earned some extra babysitting money.
- They have a list of trusted babysitting contacts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The babysitter is here.
- We have a babysitter tonight.
- She is a good babysitter.
- We need to find a reliable babysitter for Saturday.
- The babysitter played games with the children.
- How much do you pay your babysitter per hour?
- Having a trusted babysitter on call gives parents a crucial sense of freedom.
- The agency vets all its babysitters with thorough background checks.
- As a freelance musician, babysitting provides her with a flexible source of income.
- The socioeconomic role of the teenage babysitter has been romanticised in post-war American cinema.
- They established a babysitting co-operative with other families in their apartment building to share the burden and cost.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a person SITTING next to a BABY, waiting for the parents to return. The word literally describes the action.
Conceptual Metaphor
CARETAKER IS A TEMPORARY SUBSTITUTE / CHILDREN ARE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE GUARDED.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'babysitterka' – it's a false friend and sounds odd. Use 'njanja' (няня) for a nanny, but for a one-off sitter, describe the role (e.g., 'chelovek, kotoryj posidel s rebenkom').
- Avoid using 'guvernantka' (гувернантка) – this is a governess, a historical/educational role.
Common Mistakes
- *'I am a baby-sitter of two children.' (Use 'for': I am a babysitter FOR two children.)
- *'We hired a babysitter to our son.' (Use 'for': We hired a babysitter FOR our son.)
- Confusing 'babysitter' (temporary) with 'nanny' (regular).
Practice
Quiz
Which term is LEAST appropriate for a 17-year-old looking after children for a few hours on a Saturday night?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A babysitter provides temporary, often irregular care (usually evenings/weekends). A nanny is a more formal, regular, often full-time employee who may live in the family home and has broader childcare responsibilities.
Modern usage, especially in American English, strongly favours the one-word form 'babysitter'. 'Baby-sitter' is an older, less common variant. It's generally safe to use 'babysitter'.
Yes, the verb is common. It follows the pattern 'to babysit (for someone)' or 'to babysit (someone)'. E.g., 'I'll babysit for you' or 'I'll babysit your children.'
Yes, metaphorically/informally. E.g., 'Can you babysit my laptop while I go to the bathroom?' meaning 'keep an eye on it'.